Obituary: Terry DorroughTerry Edgar Dorrough, age 49, of Dardanelle, died Friday Feb. 10, 2017, at UAMS in Little Rock. He was born Nov. 20, 1967, at Nashville, Tenn., to Henry Edgar and Maxine Charlene Charlene Grigsby Dorrough. He was an auto mechanic and attended the Russellville Christian Center. Terry loved music, dancing and baseball. He was preceded in death by his father, Henry Dorrough and his half-brother, Bob Dorrough. Survivors include his mother, Maxine ...

Obituary: Dr. Bobbie HopkinsDr. Bobbie Jean Harper Hopkins died Feb.12, 2017, at her home in Dardanelle. She was born Dec. 26, 1932, to Mack and Gertie Harper at Booneville. Bobbie graduated from Booneville High School in 1951, received a PhD from the University of Arkansas in 1975. She married Dr. W. Clyde Hopkins in 1971. She was a member of the American Society of Women CPA, and was a member of Booneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She is preceded in death by her...

Obituary: Jeffrey WilliamsJeffrey Wayne Williams, 54, a resident of Pottsville, died Saturday Feb. 11, 2017, at Conway Regional Medical Center. He was born Nov. 17, 1962, in La Puenta, Calif., to J.W. and Wathena Coffman Williams. He married Kayla Ulrich on Dec. 31, 1982, in Las Vegas, Nev. He was a truck driver with Exide Corporation out of City of Industry, Calif., for many years and was a member of First Baptist Church at Pottsville. He enjoyed racing, fishing and m...

False alarm: Dardanelle fire dept. fees passedDARDANELLE — The Dardanelle City Council met last week and passed the fire departments 2017 schedule of fees and agreed to apply for a grant on behalf of the Dardanelle Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Carolyn McGee said the fire department presented the 2017 schedule of fees which the council passed. The fees are as follows: • Fire alarm reports for verification of fire loss, $10; • Fire department response inside or outside the City limits due to ...

Free 5k training availableRussellville Women Can Run (WCR), a free training program that trains and prepares participants for a 5k or 3.1 mile trek, will begin in March. WCR first began in Conway two decades ago. Since then, several groups have formed across the state. The clinic is free and open to women of all ages and will meet twice a week for 10 weeks. Four different groups are offered for those with various goals and fitness levels: • Participants train to walk u...

As Trump fears fraud, GOP votes to kill election commissionWASHINGTON— A House committee voted on Tuesday to eliminate an independent election commission charged with helping states improve their voting systems as President Donald Trump erroneously claims widespread voter fraud cost him the popular vote. The party-line vote came less than two days after Trump vowed to set up a White House commission helmed by Vice President Mike Pence to pursue his accusations of election fraud. "We're going to look a...

Senate poised to confirm Trump's pick to head TreasuryWASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's pick for Treasury secretary is headed toward confirmation by the Senate Monday despite complaints by Democrats that Steven Mnuchin ran a "foreclosure machine" when he headed OneWest Bank. Votes on Trump's Cabinet picks have exposed deep partisan divisions in the Republican-controlled Senate, with many of the nominees approved by mostly party-line votes. The vote Monday evening on Mnuchin is expected to fol...

JBS makes annual United Way donationJBS (formerly Cargill Pork) recently presented its yearly donation with all proceeds from the company’s 17th annual smoked pork loin fundraiser to River Valley United Way. The two-day fundraiser, assisted by volunteers with Arvest Bank, was able to raise $16,626. The company also donated over 200 pork loins to local food pantries and nonprofit help networks.

Education Commissioner approves budget cuts for Little RockLITTLE ROCK — The state has approved budget cuts for the Little Rock School District that will close three schools and repurpose a fourth. Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key approved the cuts Thursday for the state's largest school district, which the state has taken over, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2kdTu73 ) reported. "Spending reductions are absolutely necessary to give LRSD the best chance of success in the years t...

Arkansas House approves effort to limit medical pot adsLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas House has approved legislation aimed at preventing kid-friendly advertising and packaging of medical marijuana, and may soon consider banning any pot ads altogether. The House on Friday approved by an 89-1 vote legislation that would require the state to limit medical marijuana's advertising, packaging and promotion to avoid making the drug appealing to children. Rep. Douglas House said the proposal was aimed at prev...

Arkansas bill could reduce access to police infoLITTLE ROCK — University of Arkansas officials were alarmed to receive a request for information about the police officers assigned to work a 2015 football game, particularly because it arrived just five days after a terrorist attack at a stadium in France. The officials determined nothing in state law prevents public disclosure of such security plans, so they set out to change it. Their solution, which passed the state Senate on Thursday, wou...

10 schools, 1 district removed from Arkansas distress listLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Board of Education has removed the Blytheville School District and 10 individual schools from its academic-distress list after they made gains in their students' performance. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported (http://bit.ly/2kbCpPT ) the district and schools were removed from the list Thursday. In addition to the Blytheville district, the individual schools taken off the list are: Little Rock Fair, Little Rock M...

Criminal justice reform bill faces skepticismAn omnibus bill that sponsors say would curb the rapid growth of Arkansas prisons without sacrificing public safety received a cool reception from the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday. Senate Bill 136 has been in committee for weeks as Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson (R-Little Rock), chairman of the committee and lead sponsor of the bill, has been working with state prosecutors and other groups to address concerns. Sen. Hutchinson also co-chaired t...

Obituary: Charles Limburg Jr.DARDANELLE — Charles Homer Limburg Jr., age 61 of Dover, died Thursday Feb. 9, 2017, at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center. A family conducted memorial service will be at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, at the Gumlog Fellowship Church. A complete obituary will be published in a future edition of The Courier. Arrangements by Cornwell Funeral Home and River Valley Cremations in Dardanelle. Online guestbook and condolences at www.cornwellfunera...

Obituary: Margaret BellMargaret Turner Bell, 98, of Russellville, formerly of Hughes, passed away Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, at Russellville Nursing and Rehabilitation in Russellville. The daughter of Thomas and Willie Mae (Coleman) Green, she was born Jan. 31, 1919, in Memphis, Tenn. She worked as a bookkeeper with the Hughes School District for many years. She was a member of the West Side Church of Christ in Russellville. Margaret enjoyed playing bridge, reading trav...

Obituary: Paul YoungCLARKSVILLE — Paul Ray Young of Coal Hill passed away Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, in Clarksville at the age of 27. He was born Sept. 24, 1989, in New Albany, Ind. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Paul Young and Shirley Wilburn. He is survived by his father, Raymond Young and wife, Meredith, of Coal Hill; his mother, Samantha Perry Whatley and husband, Hal, of Enterprise, Ala.; two brothers, Chris Southerland of Clarksville, Ind., and ...

Obituary: Georgia PutmanDARDANELLE — Georgia Virginia Putman joined her heavenly father on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017. Georgia was born Dec. 31, 1929, in Danville. Georgia worked at Wayne Poultry most of her adult life. She enjoyed cooking for family and watching TV. She kept everyone laughing and on their toes. She was a beloved mother, grandmother and friend. Georgia is preceded in death by her parents, George Lee “Goob” and Lizzie Katherine “Kate” Vestal; brothers, Le...

Committee OKs funding and transfersThe Russellville City Council's Finance Committee voted to transfer and appropriate funds during its meeting last week at City Hall. Among the appropriations that will be voted on by the full council on Thursday was $125,000 for a traffic study with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD). Public Works Director Kurt Jones explained that the city and state agency agreed on a partnership to conduct a study on traffic flows thro...